Meet The Guesser guy from the state fair

For James Trott, the New York State Fair is more than a day of fun. It's a way of life.

As an operator for The Guesser, a popular state fair game, Trott, 36, has made a living out of entertaining others. For nearly 10 months each year, he travels to state fairs throughout the country guessing the approximate weight, birthday, or age of fairgoers in exchange for prizes.

"I have fun doing my job," said Trott, who began working in state fairs at age 19. "If I don’t have fun there’s no reason to be here."

Yet, he admits that the fun and games aren’t always what they seem. Often working a new fair every two weeks, his job can sometime take a toll on his wife and five children who he last saw in June.

"They used to be able to come and visit me at the fair but since money is tight they cant do that anymore,” said Trott, who resides in Knoxville, Tenn.

In the height of an economic downturn, Trott said state fairs have been hit hard as well. He declined to reveal his income. However, early in his career as The Guesser, Trott said he easily earned $3,000 in several days.

"We have felt the effects of the economy being bad here – everything’s been anywhere from 30-50% off this year,” he said.

But he doesn’t let that stop him. Trott said he keeps the longing for family at bay by working hard and making others happy.

On any given day at the fair, he plays The Guesser with roughly 100 to 1,000 people depending on the state fair. Tied with the North Carolina State Fair, the New York State Fair has been one of his most successful fairs for the game.

Although a game of chance, he’s managed to develop some tactics to help him win: looking at the creases of a person’s eyes to guess their age, touching a fairgoers' arm to see if they have muscle, or sizing up a person’s weight.

But at the end of the day, it’s all about fun and chance, the two things that keep him working long hours and making others smile.

"I just love it out here," he said. "It’s just something where even when you get away from it, you still come back to it."